Goodbye Home, Hello So Many New Beginnings

This is where my husband lived when we met and I moved in after we got married 5 years ago. I’ve seen pictures, and that palm tree was just a baby when he bought this place!

Shouldn’t the fear be starting to set in? For some reason it hasn’t just yet. Now I have anxiety about not having anxiety lol? Have you ever felt that before?

My husband and I purchased an acre of land in a beautiful neighborhood before we got married, but for some reason throughout our 4 year marriage {probably due to his busy travel schedule, a sports manager always on duty}, we just hadn’t been motivated to build. Living at his place after we got married was supposed to be temporary until we built a new home at our lot, but we’re still here. This June, he happened to be in town for the Parade of Homes {a local builders’ showcase of new homes} and we found a home layout and a builder that we’d love to go with.

December 9, 2007 – I thought he just wanted to take me for a sunset walk at our new property. He proposed in our future backyard by the lake, where we hope to build this March after the baby is born and where we took our Christmas card photo. Pardon the “tears of joy” stained face.

Touring the builder’s parade home, we both looked at each other and thought, this is it, let’s go for it, call our realtor, and put our current home on the market! We listed our house in late November thinking, what perfect time to sell than during my “second trimester stride” when I have a ton of energy. In addition to being pregnant, my full time day job, blogging and getting ready for the holidays, I was spending lunch breaks/evenings/weekends cleaning out closets, scrubbing the house, and hitting up Target and Bed Bath & Beyond to get our house staged to sell.

We got so lucky… our house was only on the market two weeks and we had a buyer! We thought, this is perfect, we’ll be out of here by the new year and have 3 months to set up in a rental before my due date of March 20th {rent while we build}. Turns out, the buyers have a government backed loan, a type of loan that is taking 120 days {4 months} to close. We got the contract back and the requested closing date was March 20th, my exact due date. HOLY! I knew we’d be cutting it close, but dang! We were able to counter offer to close on February 20th, but the buyer has no control over bank closing dates.

So now, 2 months before my due date when I should be nesting and setting up a crib, we’re wondering where the heck we’re going to live in February after our house closes. No one will rent to us for February because they’re trying to fill January vacancies. We also don’t want to rent too soon because what if we get stuck in a lease and something goes wrong with the closing of our house.

I’m going to miss blasting the outdoor speakers, the two shallow ends in our pool making it perfect for pool volleyball, roasting s’mores in the firepit, barbeques on the deck, margaritas flowing, and so much more!

So everything is about to change. It’s going to be an amazing year, but not without a lot of hustle right before giving birth, if all goes well lol. We’ve made this house a home and have so many memories here. My husband lived here for 9 years before we got married… he carried me over the threshold {and bumped my head} when we returned from our 08-08-08 beach wedding, I moved out of my townhouse and into his home, we kept the best of our duplicate everything {washer, dryer, couch…} and had a winter of Craigslist yard sales to get rid of the rest, had many ups and downs trying to get pregnant over the last 3+ years, got a cat, got a dog, started blogging, and had so many summers of FUN poolside barbeques. We LOVE to entertain, so we usually have a steady rotation of house guests eager to stay in their “Florida vacation home”.

Ella the boxer terrier mutt rescued from the shelter and Tippy, a siamese tabby mix adopted from our neighbors that moved. Must find a “fuzzy children” friendly rental.

Just this month alone, we had 4 rounds of house guests staying with us, and the last of our company, my sister, left in tears last week after Christmas. Until that moment, I didn’t realize our house meant so much to other people as well. We always have our guests sign a guest book and write about their favorite memories of their stay. The good times documented in the book range from the summer his dad got a ton of ant bites to the Jingle Bell run my mom and I went on earlier this month.

Oh, and did I mention that it’s busy season again for my husband and we still don’t have a name picked out for our child – two other factors to consider lol. We don’t know if we’re having a boy or a girl, so we have to come up with a name for each, quickly! I’m not sure how the heck I’m going to get through these next few months, but I hope that by the end of 2013, I’m holding a little baby in my arms and admiring the sparkly lights on a Christmas tree in our new home. I’m a first time mom, so maybe ignorance is bliss, but so far, no nerves just yet. Wish me luck LOL.

Your Thoughts?

http://xoxotrina.com Trina

Oh my friend I love this post!!! We’ve been buds since what 4 years ago? And I haven’t seen this much of your personal side. Love love it! Its a beautiful home and I know you’ll miss it. Building a house is so exciting! You’ve got so much going on but I know you’re going to breeze thru it. And next Christmas will be magic for y’all! (New house and new baby what could be better? !) :-) Congrats again and again. So happy for you and JH!

jennifer

i know right?!?! what’s gotten into me with all this sharing??? lol. well, when you have personal secrets for so long {getting pregnant, losing the baby after the first trimester, getting pregnant again and waiting until after your first trimester to share}, it makes it difficult to write about anything personal. it’s like my biggest life secret was blocking me from sharing anything at all other than nail polish and recipes lol. now there’s so much to tell :) thanks so much for the congrats!

http://www.itsbecauseithinktoomuch.com Adiel

Wow! So many big changes for you–how exciting! Congrats to you and your hubby!

jennifer

hey adiel, thank you so much for the congrats. yes, so much going on here, but all so so fun and exciting. 2013’s gonna be a good one. happy new year!

http://leatherandlollipops.blogspot.com Vanessa

Awww. I’m seriously crying after reading this. I am so happy for you!!! Everything will work out!!!

jennifer

you are too sweet and thank you so much for always checking in along the way. im so happy that it’s all happy news these days to report. :) hope all is well with you!

Elizabeth

So many fun and exciting new changes! Congrats and best of luck with everything!

jennifer

thanks so much elizabeth. we are beyond excited about everything we have going on and i appreciate the congrats! thanks again!

http://www.theaveragegirlsguide.com alyson

awwww, what a crazy exciting year you have ahead of you! You guys have come so far and it’s amazing you have this land together. PS: my anniversary is also 8-8,l but in 04 (been married 8+years!).

jennifer

we have the same anniversary. no way! i don’t think i knew that. that’s awesome! thanks so much for stopping by and for the well wishes :) i appreciate you! :)

http://www.youtube.com/user/ThePhoenixRose360 PhoenixRose360

Congrats on the baby (dear baby..come on 3/22..my bday..then we could celebrate together..lol) and the new home…time for a new home and new memories…Blessings!!

jennifer

awww, my first “dear baby” note. i love it! yes, that would be awesome if you both had the same birthday. my friend was due last week and i was hoping she’d have her baby on my birthday lol. yes, lots going on, but all so fun! thanks for the blessings!

Natalie

If it’s a girl, call her Natalie ;)

jennifer

LOVE that name ;) great suggestion :)

http://FabFatale Laurie

What a wonderful blog! You are always a fun email and posting that I have enjoyed over the last year +. The unknown is exciting and being a mom is the most fulfilling experience in my own life, so I know it will be time filled with love and making magic memories in a home built with love. Many good wishes coming your way.

jennifer

im so happy you enjoy my blog and have been reading it for so long. that’s awesome! thank you so much for that amazing compliment, it is very much appreciated. i can’t wait to feel the way you do about being a mom… i can’t tell you how much i look forward to it. thanks so much for the comment and the good wishes you’ve sent my way. take care!

Mindi

So exciting to hear about all the great memories and fun things ahead!! We are so happy for you all and can’t wait to meet the new baby and see the new house! Girls are always up for a trip south so let us know when we can help, just call! Change can be scary or thrilling, just have to take it all as it comes, and I know it will all work out great!! Best wishes and good luck, you all have an amazing year ahead!

jennifer

thanks so much mindi! if the girls are always up for a trip, we’re always up for a visit. we definitely have to get together at some point this year. that would be so fun! thanks for the best wishes and the luck!

Jennifer

I just want to say how much I love coming to your blog and reading what you have to share. You’re attention to detail and care for your husband and the hobbies you love doing are all going to help shape you into a wonderful mother. I hope everything works out the way you want it to! Best wishes and Happy New Year

jennifer

oh my gosh, thank you so much! i wouldn’t enjoy this blog at all if it weren’t for feedback from my lovely readers, and it’s SO nice hear that you like coming to my blog and checking out all that i have to share. best compliment ever!!! thank you again and happy new year to you as well!

http://www.bonbonrosegirls.com Kristin

We closed on our house the month I before I had the dude! You can do it lady! Fingers crossed everything goes as smoothly as possible for you guys. :)

jennifer

oh so good to hear. so there is hope for me after all lol. thanks for the good luck wishes! they may come in handy :)